During the manufacturing of containers, and more specifically metallic containers, a number of variables determine the overall finished factory can height (FFCH). These variables include the temperature used during the manufacturing process, wherein variations of the temperature create expansion or contraction of the metallic material, and thus a variation in the FFCH. When the FFCH varies beyond an acceptable amount, end users may reject the finished product, thus resulting in excess waste and expense. Furthermore, changes in the FFCH may result in structural deformities within the container, and thus compromise the integrity of the container and ultimate failure.
Furthermore, excessive temperatures during manufacturing can result in unwanted and costly machinery wear as metallic components expand and contract in an uncontrolled manner. Thus, the regulation of the temperature during the manufacturing process is critical, and more specifically in the present application with regard to the use of a beader in a container manufacturing plant.
A beader is an apparatus used to provide a bead or a seam in a metallic container such as a tin can. The bead or groove enhances the structural integrity and strength of the container, and thus is critical during can manufacturing for certain types of metallic containers. One specific application is in the packaging of containers used to store vegetables, and other perishable foods which are retorted during the filling process, wherein heat is applied to the filled container to kill unwanted bacteria and place the container in a vacuum after cooling. Thus, the structural integrity of the container and the FFCH is critical for shipping purposes and end user satisfaction.
Common beader manufacturing equipment utilizes a cooling system which has been found to be inadequate to control the FFCH. More specifically, existing beader manufacturing equipment generally comprises a beader chamber which encloses a beader turret and plurality of mandrels. Each of the mandrels retain a container which rotates around a turret frame and applies a seam to the metallic container. A cooling system is operably interconnected to the cooling chamber, and cooled air is forced into the chamber to maintain the beader turret at a preferred temperature. However, it has been found that commonly used cooling systems and beader chambers are inadequate to properly control the beader turret temperature, and more specifically the mandrel which is operably engaged to a container. Thus, unwanted temperature fluctuations in the mandrel can occur, thus causing unacceptable variations in the FFCH during manufacturing. Thus, there is a significant need in the container manufacturing industry to identify a cost efficient solution to maintaining the temperature of the beader and more specifically the mandrel during the beading operation to assure that the FFCH is within an acceptable range for structural integrity of the container and end user satisfaction.